The Birth of the West - Rome, Germany, France, and the Creation of Europe in the Tenth Century (Paperback, First Trade Paper Edition)

Paul Collins

Stimulating, encyclopaedic, and often downright funny, this is a
book worth remembering." , Stephen O'Shea, Globe and Mail (Toronto,
Canada) A lively, full-to-bursting history of the turbulent tenth
century in Europe, . Collins presents chaotic upheaval across
Europe in an organized and riveting fashion." , Kirkus (starred
review)The tenth century dawned in violence and disorder.
Charlemagne's empire was in ruins, most of Spain had been claimed
by Moorish invaders, and even the papacy in Rome was embroiled in
petty, provincial conflicts. The stability once provided by
Imperial Rome had dissolved, leaving a perilous landscape behind.
Yet the story of the tenth century is the story of our culture's
birth. This was the moment that civilization emerged from the Dark
Ages into the light of day.The Birth of the West tells the story of
a transformation from chaos to order, exploring the alien landscape
of Europe in transition. It thoroughly renovates older conceptions
of feudalism and what medieval life was actually like. The result
is a wholly-new vision of how civilization sprang from the
unlikeliest of origins, and proof that our tenth-century ancestors
are not as remote as we might think. The Birth of the West is a
re-making of what we think we know about the end of the Dark Ages.
It is also the gate to the utterly unexpected cosmos of European
forebears., The characters who people The Birth of the West are as
familiar as relatives,as indeed they are,groping their way to a
cohesive Western culture. The Birth of the West is thus the tale of
our birth, and Collins tells it with a narrative grace and elegance
which will make readers cherish it." , Thomas Keneally, author of
Schindler's Ark